Various configurations have been known conventionally of inkjet recording devices (inkjet printers) that discharge ink from a nozzle of an inkjet head to record (print) desired letters and shapes on a recording medium.
Generally, in an inkjet recording device, when a printing process is performed, discharged ink may gradually adhere to a nozzle surface of an inkjet head, and further, an ink droplet may be formed by the adherent ink merging with each other. Moreover, such an ink droplet gradually hardens, and in some cases may become viscous ink, for example in a gel form. As above, if printing is performed continuously in a state where the viscous ink, the ink droplet and the like are adherent to the nozzle surface, a problem of print quality degrading may occur by the ink droplet dripping onto the recording medium, or by causing nozzle clogging. Thus, conventionally, a technique that performs cleaning by wiping the nozzle surface of the inkjet head by a blade and the like formed of rubber material and the like has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1).